-Prologue-

Kingsley Shacklebolt held his wife's hand. They were in St. Mungo's hospital because Chloe Shacklebolt was giving birth. So far so good. Suddenly, one of the healers looked worried.

"Oh no," they murmured.

"What?" Kingsley said in his deep, powerful voice.

"I-I don't know. Something's wrong," she said.

"We don't know what," another healer chimed in. Kingsley looked worriedly at his wife, who was breathing rapidly and pushing.

She began to scream in pain.

"She's coming!" the first healer shouted.

"Be warned; your daughter... May have something... Wrong. And your wife...I'm sorry, she might not make it," the second healer said sadly. Kingsley looked down at his wife with tears in his pitch black eyes.

"Come on, Chloe, you can do it. I know how strong you are. What a warrior you are. That's one of the reasons I married you," he whispered in her ear.

Chloe turned her head slowly to look at her husband. She had tears leaking from her eyes.

"I'll try. For you. For Duchess," she whispered back. Her breathing sped up again and her face looked like it was in pain. Suddenly, there was a baby crying. The healers waved their wands to clean her off, then gently handed her to Chloe.

"It's a beautiful baby girl," the first healer said, smiling. Chloe gasped softly when she saw the child was missing her left leg.

"I'm so sorry, Duchess," she said sadly, kissing her baby's forehead. "She's so beautiful."

"Just like her mother," Kingsley said, looking at Chloe lovingly.

Chloe smiled, but then began breathing shallowly.

"Mummy loves you, Duchess. I'm sorry I can't be there for you," she whispered hoarsely, kissed Duchess's forehead, then handed her carefully to her husband. "Please, keep her safe. Let her know how much mummy loves her," Chloe begged her husband.

"I will," Kingsley promised.

"I love you," she said, her breathing picking up even more speed.

"I love you, too'" Kingsley replied, tears in his eyes.

Chloe began yelling and screaming in pain. A tear slipped from Kingsley's eyes. The screaming stopped. Another tear fell. He looked into his daughter's eyes, which were midnight black, just like his own. He smiled lovingly at her. "I promise you, I will love you, and I will protect you. I'll teach you to protect yourself. And if anyone hurts you, they'll have me to deal with. And nobody messes with Kingsley Shacklebolt."